“Success comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.”   Henry David Thoreau

 

My Fellow Colleagues:

    This is a critical time for the hygiene community.  We find ourselves in a period of significant change, as many thresholds are being crossed in our ever-evolving profession.

    In the past year we have conquered some hard fought territories: self regulation in California; launching a pilot program for the ADHP; and administering anesthesia in Tennessee.  However we still face some lurking threats:  apprenticeship for assistants in Tennessee; the never ending preceptorship for dental hygienists that is law now in Alabama; the law in Kansas that allows assistants to clean teeth above the gingival; etc…

    Nationally our members are lobbying at every opportunity, pushing for advancement, and working hard to protect what we have.  They have set a wonderful goals;  among these is the development of the advanced dental hygiene practitioner (ADHP).  An ADHP is a midlevel provider in dentistry;  his or her role will parallel that of a nurse practitioner in medicine and that will be a response to the access to care crisis created by a shortage of licensed dentists.

      In order to achieve our goals, to meet the challenges, we need the of  power of numbers.  Of the 3,554 licensed hygienists’ in Tennessee, only 72 from the 9th District are ADHA members.  I urge you all to become members and supporters of ADHA.  We need all hygienist’s to be part of this important movement.  We need you support, dedication, determination, and perseverance, and you need the benefit of our important work.  Please realize that we can make a difference.

      It is time to get busy and realize our dreams.

 

Ayda Khuri, RDH, BS, MA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MDHA Board of Officers 2008-09

President:  Ayda Khuri

President – Elect:                   Andrea Johnson

Vice-President:                   Schelli Stedke

Past-President: Liz Thomas

Secretary: Pat Jacobs

Treasurer: April Williams                         

Trustee:                                 Eleta Reed-Morgan

CE Chair: Kelli Illyes

Webmaster: Alicia Walker/Schelli Stedke

Newsletter: Michelle  Miles

Website:  www.mdhatn.org

Contact information, employment listings, and access to ADHA, TDHA, TN Board of Dentistry,  as well as, other real-time information can be accessed 24/7.

Address Changes?  E-mail address?  Send to Smiles4@bellsouth.net

 

      FALL 2008

Tennessee Dental Hygienists’    Association Mission Statement:

 

To improve the public’s total health, the mission of this Association is to advance the art and science of dental hygiene by increasing the awareness of and ensuring access to quality oral health care, promoting the highest standards of dental hygiene education, licensure and practice, and representing and promoting the interest of dental hygienists.

 

 

     The summer board meeting of TDHA  was held on July 26, at the Interfaith Health Clinic in Nashville and was attended by state officers and local component trustees. Annual session dates were set for April 17-19, 2009 in Franklin, TN at the Cool Springs Marriott.  Mark your calendars to attend this 3 day event of continuing education, interaction with your colleagues from across the state, and fun combined.  Committees are forming, and anyone interested in helping to organize

this state level event please contact Kelli Illyes, Pat Jacobs, or Eleta Reed-Morgan.  These dedicated MDHA members hold state offices and will answer any questions you may have concerning Annual Session.         

     Strategic planning is the focus of the THDA board of 2008-09, with  encouraging, and increasing the awareness of the benefit of ADHA membership on the national, state, and local levels. Redesign of the TDHA website will also be in the works to make the site more user-friendly and appealing for members.  

     On the national level, the ADHA is encouraging members to sign up for the bi-weekly update for information about professional issues and support.  This site has free downloadable oral health information for your patients, and “kid stuff “ with games and cool links.  If you haven’t taken the time to view the ADHA website in awhile you will find it is very informational, professional, and easy to navigate.

 

 

 

     This summer, in June, we attended the ADHA annual meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico for five days.   Nearly  two-thirds of the Senior class was able to attend, and were  accompanied by Ms. Andrea Johnson and Ms.  April Williams.

     The majority of the students who attended were able to go fully funded by our SAHDA account.  The funds were raised by selling Crest

“Yesterday is but today's memory, tomorrow is today’s dream.”

Khalil Gibran

professional-strength whitening strips to friends and family members.  The Junior class will begin to sell the strips in the near future.  The Senior DH class will be hosting a catered bar-b-que dinner for the incoming Junior class on August 23rd, welcoming them to the new semester.

     The Senior class is also very excited to be the first Dental Hygiene class to take the local anesthesia class at UT as part of the curriculum.

Sarah Toungett, President         Dental Hygiene 2009

 

                                                                                                                                                                   

Congratulations 2008 Graduates!! You can convert your  membership from student status to ACTIVE at www.adha.org! We look forward to seeing you at MDHA meetings!

 

      National Dental Hygiene Month is revamping for October 2008!  ADHA will  continue it’s theme of “ A Healthy Smile Lasts a Lifetime”.   But this year they would like to encourage hygienists’ with a celebration of four event dedicated weeks!

November 11, 2008

    What’s New In Breast Cancer?

 

Speaker: Dr. Susan Hoover              Breast Clinic of Memphis

RSVP by 10/31

First Tuesday Change!!!

November 4:  ELECTION DAY  Vote!

December 2, 2008

“See What You’ve  Been Missing”

 

Speaker:  Jason Clark                    Orascoptic Loupes

RSVP by 11/28

     The Memphis Dental Hygienists’ Association is the local chapter of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association.   Each month, beginning in September and continuing through May of each year, a continuing education seminar is held at Patterson Dental Supply.  A variety of topics and speakers are offered throughout the year, and are a great way to learn about changes abreast (no pun intended to our November topic!) in current healthcare, products, and issues in our profession.  It also is a chance to meet with your peers and catch up with old friends.

     Keep up with the calendar of events for the next MDHA meeting and a mini-seminar that offers a topic of interest for you. Also, in the works is an all-day seminar coming soon, so watch for this information.

     The Fall newsletter is sent to nearly 500 RDH’s in Memphis and the surrounding areas to encourage  support and awareness for ALL hygienists’ regardless of membership.

 

 

DENTAL

STAFFING